Bosworth Announces Northport VA Medical Center's Mobile Unit Now in North Hempstead Three Days a Week

Joined by Reps. Rice, Suozzi and members of the Vets Advisory Committee

North Hempstead, NY – North Hempstead Town Supervisor Judi Bosworth, Town Board members Anna Kaplan, Peter Zuckerman, Angelo Ferrara, Dina De Giorgio and Lee Seeman, members of the North Hempstead Veterans Advisory Committee, U.S. Congressman Tom Suozzi and U.S. Congresswoman Kathleen Rice cut the ribbon this week on the Northport VA Medical Center's Mobile Unit, which is now stationed at Clinton G. Martin Park three days a week. U.S. Senator Chuck Schumer, who could not be present for the ceremony, was also a tremendous advocate in getting the van placed in North Hempstead.

The presence of the mobile van comes after Supervisor Bosworth, with the great help of the Veterans Advisory Committee and together with federal representatives Senator Schumer, Congresswoman Rice and Congressman Suozzi, strongly advocated for the unit to be in place, while a more permanent clinic could be established within North Hempstead’s borders.

U.S. Senator Chuck Schumer was the first to suggest the van be placed in North Hempstead until the Town is able to get a permanent clinic. Congresswoman Kathleen Rice met with the Veterans Advisory Committee and listened to requests for a committee for a community based outpatient clinic.

Town officials and members of the Veterans Advisory Committee gathered thousands of signatures on petitions and wrote hundreds of letters calling for a mobile health care unit to be placed with frequency in North Hempstead and are also asking that a permanent Community Based Outpatient Clinic (CBOC) for veterans be established somewhere in the Town.

“Having the mobile unit here with frequency will have a tremendous positive impact for our local veterans,” said Supervisor Bosworth. “We are so grateful to the Northport VA’s Medical Center and federal representatives for being great teammates in making this a reality.”

“The case to establish this mobile vet center in North Hempstead was compelling given the critical mass of veterans here who served to preserve this country’s freedom. They deserve efficient access to top-quality health care much closer to home – while we continue to make the case for a permanent Community Based Outpatient Clinic. I am encouraging local vets to pay a visit to this mobile unit for their everyday medical needs and rest a little easier in knowing that the short trip to get these kinds of services is no longer an inconvenient trek. We thank the VA for recognizing this need and heeding the call,” said U.S. Senator Charles Schumer.

The Northport VA Medical Center's Mobile Unit offers a variety of opportunities for veterans to access quality healthcare in their communities. Some of the services offered by the mobile unit include: primary health care, podiatry care and many other services. The van is staffed with a doctor and nursing staff.

“No veteran should ever go without the care they need simply because of where they live. But right now, veterans in North Hempstead are over an hour away from the closest VA facility. For elderly veterans, veterans with families and jobs or veterans without access to a car, this trip can be nearly impossible to make on a regular basis. This mobile unit will be a critical resource for the veterans in this community and it brings us one step closer to getting them the high-quality health care they need and deserve,” said U.S. Congresswoman Kathleen Rice.

“We are so grateful to our veterans for their service and it’s our responsibility to make sure that they have medical care as close to home as possible,” said the Supervisor. “The arrival of the mobile unit, as well as the continued push for a more permanent CBOC, are steps in the right direction. I thanks our federal representatives for their interest, advocacy and dedication to our veterans on this important issue.”

If you need more information call the Town’s 311 Call Center.

Supervisor Judi Bosworth, left center and Council Member Angelo Ferrara, right center, cut the ribbon on the Northport Medical Center’s Mobile van.

Supervisor Judi Bosworth is joined by Congresswoman Kathleen Rice, Town Board members Anna Kaplan, Peter Zuckerman, Angelo Ferrara, Dina De Giorgio and Lee Seeman and members of the Town’s Veteran’s Advisory Committee as they announce the arrival of the Northport Medical Center’s Mobile van at Clinton G. Martin Park three days a week.